Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday July 15, 2009

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Isaiah 41

C40  He is the God of creation/history.  C41 carries on the theme of God being the God of history.

Events are about to be released upon the world scene, events in formation even now, that are of the Lord’s doing… webb

Fall of Iron Curtain/9-11/financial meltdown – God’s hand has been in it all.  Who knows what events are forming now?

1-7  God speaks to the coastlands

Coastlands – nations of frontiers of known world/E. Med. & islands

The coastlands were to listen to predictive prophecy in silence.  “But I need to tell Him what’s on my mind.”  He already knows.  The problem is that you don’t know what’s on His mind.  

V1  gain new strength – same words as in 40:31.  What is offered to Israel is also offered to the Gentiles. motyer  Isaiah has been speaking judgment to the nations and now he presents to them the salvation of God.  

God is bringing Cyrus  1-4

Why did his parents name him Cyrus?

Career of Cyrus – came to Persian throne in 559 BC while Persia was still subject to Media/549 BC killed the Median king and founded the Persian Empire/conquered Asia Minor, NW India, Babylonia/reversed policy of deportation and sought to repatriate people their homelands.  

2-4  What is prophesied concerning Cyrus?  He comes from the east/ he will conquer the nations/he won’t be defeated/this is his first campaign to the west.

Why inform the Gentiles?  So that when it comes to pass they would believe God and offer no resistance to Cyrus – surrender.  Isaiah prophesies of a child born, a Son given, seated on throne of David, He shall have the gov’t…  Why tell us?  So we can surrender!  

Response of the Coastlands - idolatry  5-7

The response of the nations was fear.  They believed what they saw and not what they heard.  Instead of saying, “Wow, God told us this would happen,” they went on w/ business as usual.  Instead of receiving him whom God had sent, they resisted him.  The coastlands were told that the gov’t would be on his shoulders – they resisted – as many do today. 

In face of danger there is a real sense of community/brotherliness and there is a renewed sense of spirituality.  The message is: Together, as we team w/ the spirit world, we can triumph.  We often hear the message that the only way to successfully face the global challenges around us today is to become a community of nations.  The message isn’t that we need to turn to God, but we need to turn to one another.  And in turning to one another we need to find common religious ground – so let’s take the materials we have and work them into something acceptable to all.  A global community calls for global spirituality – w/ all the rough edges smoothed down.  No exclusivity, only inclusivity/No judgment, only salvation/No sin, only affirmation of goodness.  There are committees working on these things.  

7  soldering/welding – used to describe sections of armor.  A god that must be propped up is no god at all.  A god that needs to be propped up is weaker than the one doing the propping.  If one is trusting in that which is weaker than he, he is not wise.  A god that leaves one worse is no god at all – gods of alcohol/chemicals/sex/ money – gods that promise much and deliver little.  

“Well, I tried Jesus once and He didn’t deliver for me and so your point backfires on you.”

    * You don’t take Jesus for a test drive.  You don’t try Jesus anymore than you try a wife/husband.
    * A man may marry a woman and be a horrible husband, divorce, and be a wonderful husband to the next woman.  He hasn’t found the right spouse, he’s become the right spouse.
    * Many come to Jesus w/ unrealistic expectations (“Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel…?) only to mature later.